I always cringe moving my sleds 30' across my shop floor and then don't give a 2nd thought to running 1/4 mile on the side of the road lol.

The runners will wear some but not enough to worry about. If you're gonna doo it regularly grab a set of ski skins.

 

You'll be ok, drive it.

 

Run it. Won't hurt a bit.

How many of us have run down gravel roads with no snow or across pavement to get to the gas pumps.

You'll be just fine.

Don~

 

Yeah I cringe thinking how many kms I put on running down recently plowed logging roads (so gravel roads), across highways to get food/gas and the sides of roads used to link trails. Not good but in some areas impossible to avoid. Guess that’s another example of why carbides and studs.

 

When your sick of making all those scratches, or perhaps before you do. . .

EZ Wheelz by Terick Solutions

I have two set of the Caliber but Not sure they will hold up on soft ground too long. (Work great on hard surface)

 

Ez move sled dolly. Even going up hill with a machine on it isn't to bad

 

I think I would rather make scratches than taking the wheels on and off all the time.

Aren't there other companies that make these type of wheels that once installed they fold up and down. When up to go sledding they look really crappy.

Just my two cents. Take it with a grain of salt.

Don~

 

Get a set of either one of these

 

For what it’s worth, I ride a mile down the road to access my local trail. I replace carbides usually once a year, and it’s good to go. Send it.

 

Either one of the suggested ones are most likely as cheap or cheaper than a good set of carbides , then you have them

 

No worries, most of us have ridden somewhere snowless for one reason or another.

 

 

the patent pending part cracks me up seen many home made versions lol .

 

I have pulled mine across the yard on a sheet of plywood

 

drive the snowmobile across the yard and not worry about it.

Farmin Jim. To put your question in perspective... many trails in Michigan use the side of a paved road as part of the trail. For miles at a time. Granted, not ideal, and I cringe every time I'm on one of these sections, try to put a ski into the snow bank when ever possible. Defiantly will take the edge of a set of carbides.
For sure - if you are using your sled for ice racing, or lake fishing, consider a roller kit or drive it onto a hunk of old plywood and drag the plywood over as Razer suggests. If not, IMO, "cringe and bear it" :- )

 

Pretty easy to use an ATV and a trailer or a skid to move a snowmobile around. Why not avoid doing damage when able?

 

You'll be fine. Encountered this for 10 miles on a late spring ride 2 years ago:

 

Ah we call this southern NY powder

 

 

when in doubt throttle out lol

 

To the OP, that little bit of “dry” running won’t hurt your sled at all. My sled has seen lots worse in its 15,000+ miles and I’m still running the original skis and track, third set of sliders and fourth pair of main carbides(second pair for outers). Just take your time and don’t run it for longer than you have to. It’ll be fine.

 

Thanks for the reply!

 

+another to what's said above, also bear in mind that the snowmobile uses the snow to cool itself; extended running on dry, snowless surfaces will result in overheating - possibly quicker than you'd think.

They also cool down very quickly; it does not take much snow/water to get flung off the track/onto the heat exchanger to keep things happy, but it does take some.

200' to the shop, no big deal, at all. stand with your weight back and pin it, the skis will only touch when you get on the brakes.


Iain (mostly kidding on the last bit - you can keep a fair bit of pressure off the skis with weight and throttle, but be careful, these things are fast - especially yours - and they don't turn on pavement)

PPS - use your tether, even going across the yard. it seems unlikely that the throttle will stick, but if it does & you're wearing a tether, no big deal, if you're not wearing/holding the tether, potentially a very big deal.

and another thing, I've seen this a couple of times, and experienced it once, when new to these things. Take care using reverse if standing on the right side, assuming a traditional thumb flapper. Sometimes, the sled hooks up a bit harder than you expected, it lurches backwards, your right thigh smashes into the bar, holding the throttle wide open.

It is funny, most of the time, but again, these things are fast, even backwards.